When Luck Runs Out
by lilyandjamesislife
Summary: Ladybug is getting increasingly more worried about the lack of Akuma attacks recently. Is Hawkmoth planning something? If so, can Chat Noir and Ladybug stop him in time? And what will happen between those two?
1. Chapter 1

'Fine evening, isn't it, my lady?'

Ladybug can't hold back a small smile as she hears the familiar voice behind her. It was a fine night indeed. She was sitting perched on the wide edge of a rooftop. Above her the moon shone brightly, illuminating the streets of Paris.

She turns from the view, raising her legs onto the other side of the edge to face her companion in crime, Chat Noir.

"It _was_ ," she teased as she stood, brushing herself off. The cat raised a hand to his heart in mock hurt, although the smirk priding his lips never left.

"Me-ouch, my lady. Your words are nearly as chilly as this afternoon."

Ladybug laughed and walked past him to lean up against one of the two chimneys sticking up from the roof.

"Find anything?"

"Cutting right to the chase, I see," Chat replied, spinning on his heels to face her once again. "But what's the rush? I say, the night is long and o-"

"Chat," Ladybug interrupts softly. Her smile is strained. Has it been all along? Chat stops talking immediately, looking at her surprised. Usually she doesn't mind his chatterings.

"No, my lady," he answers instead of questioning her odd behaviour. "Once again, the city was silent."

This answer, rather than unnerving her like he had expected it to, seems to make her tense up further. She's frowning a bit – she looks cute, he notes, then shakes himself out of it. He can't be concerved with that right now.

"Ladybug?" He says, stepping closer to her. He wanted so badly to raise his hand and caress her cheek but now did not seem the right moment. "Is something the matter?"

A moment passes until she looks up at him again, smiling reasurringly. "Ah, it's just me, Chat. Not used to having so little work to do, you know? It's throwing me off completely." She laughes a bit and the tension in her shoulders seems to vanish.

"Oh, got ourself a little Miss Hardworker here, have we?" He teases. He bends down, legs straight, to look her in the eye as he tousles her hair. She laughs.

"Well," he continues, smoothly turning on his heels, letting the hand previously occupied in her hair now slid around her shoulder as he walks to the edge of the roof. "I see what this is all about."

"You do?"

"Yes, of course, it's quite obvious!" He presses their heads close together and glances at her with half-lidded eyes, elaborating, "There's no need to pressure yourself to impress me, my Lady, I assure you."

She laughs and he releases her, pleased. "I'll always be quite impressed with you." He grins as he bows down melodramatically and kisses her hand.

"Oh, stop it you silly cat," she chuckles as she pulls her hand away, instead using it to lightly swat at the back of his head.

"Well," she says, backing towards the rooftop, "It's getting late. I'd better get back. You as well."

"Of course, my lady," he replies with a smile, standing up straight once again. "I'll be dreaming of our next, hopefully passionate meeting."

"Hush, you flirt," is the last thing she says before bringing out her yoyo, swinging across the buildings until she is no longer to be seen.

Adrian watches her go with a frown. Mere seconds after she's gone his transformation wears off.

"Are you insane?" Plagg flies in front of his face and scolds him. "You need to be more careful! If she hadn't left when she did you would've been discovered!"

"Ah, hush," Adrian said, waving his hand dismissively. "Nothing happened. Besides, she needed comforting."

"All right," Plagg said airly, "But when your identity gets revealed because your girlfriend needed a hug, don't come crying to me about it!"

"I won't," Adrian promised with a grin. "Now, if you quit complaining and come along I'll feed you cheese once we get home."

"Cheese!" Plagg howled and immediately quieted down. Adrian laughed as the two made their way home.


	2. Chapter 2

"So? What do you think?" Marinette is glancing nervously from her best friend to the pieces of paper she's holding in her hand.

"I think," Alya says, placing the papers down on the bench they've occupied in the school courtyard, "that you shouldn't have waited to finish the essay the night before it's due."

"I know, I know," Marinette groaned, cursing herself. "I would've written it as soon as we got it… but I didn't know which topic to pick –there were so many – and then I completely forgot about it."

She sighed, slumping down on the bench. "So much has been going on lately, I guess I just got sidetracked."

"Hey, hey, now," Alya laughed, placing her hands on her depressed friend's shoulder. "Cheer up! I didn't say it was trash, did I? I only meant that you don't have time to correct any errors now."

"Thanks," Marinette mumbles glumly.

"Ah-!" Alya widenes her eyes a blush forming on her cheeks. "Sorry, that wasn't helpful at all. Look, it's very well-written. You have nothing to be nervous about."

"Yeah?" Marinette said, looking up at Alya with a smile. She exhales heavily. "Phew, that's a relief. I promise I'll never slack again!" she proclaims, glancing up at the sky solemnly. She looks sheepishly to her friend. "I can't handle the pressure."

"Come on," Alya laughs, pulling her friend up from her seat. "Class is starting."

Marinette doesn't quite know how it happened. Well, yes, she does. It's quite simple, really.

They were doing their next major designing challenge. Major with a big M because this time, they had to design a whole outfit. She had memorised the requirements and knew them by heart even before the challenge began; They would get a month. It didn't have to be anything overly complicated, but stylish, nonetheless. They could use the schools materials or their own.

The requirement she wasnt prepared for – and couldn't have _ever_ prepared for - was, that she would be doing it with Adrian.

"S-S-So," she stutters. "Um. Right. Um." She makes a point to stare at her notebook laid out in front of her on her desk. She fears, that without something holding her constant concentration, she might blurt out something incredibly embarrassing.

"Right," Adrian says in a much calmer tone than her own, "We'll need a head designer. Honestly, designing isn't really my strong suit, so I definitely am in favor of you taking up that role, if you don't mind. Plus, I've seen your designs. Your hat was amazing!"

It is a shame, she thinks, that she isn't in her Ladybug outfit right now because her skin tone finally matches the colour of her suit.

She laughs nervously and looks up at him. "M-Me?"

"Sure!" he says and smiles kindly. Oh, how she loves that smile… "That isn't to say I won't help, of course. I'm not trying to get out of doing work. I just thought it'd be best if you… led the way? I can be our model, then. I know how to do that at least." His modest laugh brings her heart flying on a pink cloud.

"A-Ah, yes," she agrees and nods. "You look very good- I-I mean, the outfit will. Look very, um, good!" she corrects quickly.

"I count on that," he says with a smile.

Marinette relaxes back in her seat on board the metro. She's in a good mood. After all, she's working together with Adrian! She would even get to design his clothes! Well, it's just one outfit. But still!

A man next to her is humming a tune. He has a lovely voice, though it's interrupted by a stern-looking woman's phone conversation.

"Yes, the last one was a failure… Yes, sir. No, sir, when the next one comes along my progress will be evident. Yes, sir. No, sir, not yet."

Marinette frowns and tries to focus on the song.

On the other end of the train, however, yet another person is disturbing the peace.

"You can't fire me! God gave me this job for a purpose. You can't go against His words like that! Sir, please I'll have to insist- No … No. Sir!"

A young woman angrily snaps her black flip phone. "I can't… believe this. How could they. I worked so hard…" She grips her golden cross necklace and closes her eyes.

She stands and angrily stomps off the train when it comes to a halt.

'A new villian is terrorizing the city! She calls herself Chosen Angel. She's dressed in a golden priest-looking robe and has a third eye drawn on her forehead! Chosen Angel is currently roaming the streets of Champs d'Elysees. Her weapon seems to be a crossshaped, golden sword. Sources say she uses it to turn her followers into her 'Disciples' and–'

The news report came to an end as the camera fell to the ground.

"Get yourself to safety!" Ladybug exclaims at the cameraman and news reporter she has just saved from being zapped. "Otherwise you'll turn into a Disciple too! Warn anyone you can!"

The two in front of her nods as they get up and run off.

She jumps out of the way just in time as a golden zap burns the ground right where she has been sitting. She gasps in surprise. That certainly looks like something that could have physically hurt her.

"I'll rule both Heaven and Earth!" Chosen Angel yells from behind her. "You'll listen to me now! I know best!"

"Sorry!" Chat Noir grins, finally making an appearance as he jumps over and joins Ladybug. "I'm not _Cat_ holic!"

"You'll be sorry!" she screeches and its unclear whether it's the pun or the statement that's upsetting her. Nevertheless, she's pointing her sword at them. Quickly, they jump out of the way.

"Chat!" Ladybug yells, taking hide behind a fountain. "Distract her!"

"On it!"

As Chat Noir jumps to and fro, doing his best to distract the Chosen Angel, Ladybug sneak up behind a bush. Once an opening comes, she jumps forward, grabbing hold of the long end of the sword.

This turns out to be a great mistake. A whirring, piercing, nipping power seems to spread like lightning through her hands and to the rest of her body. She lets out a scream and immediately lets go, falling down onto the grass below her.

"Ladybug!" Chat yells as he saw her fall. Immediately he dashes forward, just barely getting her out of the way before another blow is sent by the sword.

"Are you all right?" he asks worriedly.

"I'll be fine," she says, although wincing as she moved. However this is not something she can afford to think about now. They _have_ to get the Akuma.

"The sword, it's… it's almost electric if you touch it. Don't let it hit you. I have a feeling that anything but a Disciple-making blow will hurt. A lot."

Chat nods, biting his lip as he brushes some of her hair out of the way.

"Chat," she says softly. "I'm all right, now get going."

She stands up herself, nodding to him as she run in one direction, expecting him to run the other way.

"I think it's about time," she mumbles as she brings out her yoyo and declares, "Lucky Charm!" The yoyo glows in a disarray of red and white colours before awarding her with…

"A magnet?" She frowns. "What?"

"You know," Chat yells at the Chosen Angel from a tree he had just jumped into. "I really do prefer the Egyptians!"

"Where's the Akuma?" Marinette mumbles to herself, observing the quickly moving villian. "Where's the- oh." Her eyes widenes. A small, golden cross is embedded in the girls robe, right below her collarbone.

Ladybug has already opened her mouth to yell the important discovery at Chat – then she comes to a halt. The cross… it doesn't hang off of her as an accessory as usual. Instead, it seems to be… sewed into the suit?

If they tried to smash that, it would surely kill the girl too, hitting her heart.

They would have to be smart about it. But how-

"Oh," Ladybug says, staring at the magnet in hand. "Oh, how I hope you're as cheap as I think you are..!"

She brings out her yoyo, tying the end to the magnet. "Here goes nothing," she mumbles as she swung the yoyo towards the Angels chest. For a moment it seems like she's failed – but then the Angel starts yelling as the Akuma comes loose and she's able to pull it right back in her hand.

"As I thought," Ladybug says, looking at the golden cross in her hand. "It's only the outer layer thats embedded in gold. It's a thin one, too. The rest is probably steel.

She crushes the cross under her feet. From the shatters a dark butterfly comes out, but it doesn't make it far before she captures it with her yoyo.

"Begone, evil Akuma," she says.

"Good job, Ladyb-" Chat turns to her with a victorious smile. One she does not share at the moment.

"Chat," she says. "Wasn't this… Didn't this seem harder than usual?"

"My lady is overreacting," Chat assures with a convincing smile. "Perhaps you're just out of shape. As you mentioned, it has been unusually long between the attacks."

"Mm," she agrees with a smile, however still not quite convinced. "Okay, you're probably right."

He shrugs and smiled. "We're both a bit out of shape. I'm paw-sitive that's all."

"No," Ladybug deadpans.

Chat laughs. "What's the matter? Two seconds ago you were smiling. Did you have a change of cattitude?"

"I don't have time for these terrible jokes," she says, touching her earring. "Literally. Looks like it's time for this lady to bug off."

"Oi! Why is it okay if you do it!" Chat exclaims.

"Because I'm better at them," Ladybug laughs as she ran off.

Chat Noir stumbles into his room just in time for his transformation to wear off. "Why did you lie to her? That fight wore you off more than usual too," Plagg says.

"I don't know," Adrian says, plopping down onto his bed. "I shouldn't have, I know. I just- I got an urge to comfort her, okay?"

"You're going to get us killed," Plagg moans as he drops down onto the bed beside him.

"Oh, Adrian," a voice whispers from the slightly ajar door. "It seems you should really learn to be more careful."


	3. Chapter 3

"It's terrible, I just have no inspiration at all," Ladybug sighs. "I'm honestly completely clueless."

"I wish I could help you out, my lady," Chat says. Once again, the rooftop seems to be their meeting place. They're sitting opposite each other, Ladybug against a long, white chimney, Chat against the broad edge of the roof. The wind is light and warm, ruffling up their hair.

"Don't worry about it, Chat," Ladybug says, waving her hand dismissively. "I'll figure something out eventually. I always do. I just… tend to stress a whole lot about it beforehand, too," she laughs.

Chat smirks. "You might even say- ah, hold on!" Ladybug frowns as Chat suddenly crawls forward over her legs.

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?" she demands, blushing hard.

He sits up, straddling her calves. "Spider."

"Get it away, then!"

He grins down at her. She can't help but notice how he… well, he looks incredible attractive from that angle. It must be the light, she supposes. It makes his hair look like a halo. She's never really noticed, but he has really long lashes too. And his eyes, they're so-

He clicks his tongue at her, shaking her out of her trance. "Impatient, aren't we?"

She frowns at him, sticking her lower lip out a bit. "Get on with it, Chat. Chat?"

Chat Noir is not responding. Instead he's staring down at her in the strangest way.

She finds herself captured in the depth of his forest-green eyes and so she doesn't protest when he leans down, his lips brushing against her jaw.

They're soft, she notices. She also can't help but notice how hot his breath is against her cheek, and how close their bodies suddenly are, and how she just can't seem to move no matter what.

"Tell me," he says, "Please." Three words are all he utters and yet they seem so full of emotion. Love and want and curiosity and a need. A need to know.

"Lady," he continues, growing more desperate. Feather-light kisses, so light she hardly notices them there, fluttering across her jaw, down her neck. His hands grip her upper arms gently. "Lady, who-"

"Chat," she interrupts, finally waking from her daze, it seems. She turns her head away from his and immediately he pulls back from her, though he keeps her gaze locked with his.

She cups his cheeks lightly. "It's better this way," she says. Is she convincing him or herself? No, she's right on this. If they learned each others identities… It wouldn't be the same. Their relationship wouldn't be.  
"It's- it is. Okay? Someday, maybe. But not today. Not now."

"At least let me show you who I am, then-"

"Chat!" Ladybug interrupts, pushing him off of her as she stands. "Look, it's for the better if we don't know who we really are."

"Why is it?" Chat demands, growing angry and frustrated. Why shouldn't he get to meet the girl he loved – properly? He doesn't, _can't_ understand why Ladybug kept insisting on hiding their identities.

"Because!" Ladybug growls back. "Because I say so!"

She whips out her yoyo, but before she can leave Chat grabs her wrist.

"I just want to know who you really are," he says, locking his gaze with hers. "What's so wrong about that?"

For a moment she says nothing. Then she tears her wrist out of his grip and before he can react, she's gone.

"Sir."

The woman knocks on the tall, wooden door and pokes her head inside.

"May I enter?"

"Hmm," a man behind a large desk mumbles, though he doesn't as much as look up from the papers he's holding. "You may. What's the status?"

"They're fighting, sir."

The man smiles. "Good. The more negative feelings he experiences, the better. They're making this easy for me, really."

The woman allows a small smile to show on her otherwise stern face. If her boss is happy, she's happy.

"How are the experiments coming along?"

"Good, sir," the woman replies, regaining her professional feauters. "You were right in assuming we would need one of them, however. The soul needs to be very strong to withstand it. They'll need to wear their Miraculouses."

"Hm," the man says. "Well, as long as this works, I won't need the Miraculouses, anyway. Thank you, you may leave."

The woman turns to leave but then came to a halt.

"Sir. Do I have permission to test my latest experiment?"

The man looks up in surprise. "It's ready?"

"Yes, sir," the woman says, prideful.

The man nods. "Then you have my permission."

"Thank you, Mr Agraste."


	4. Chapter 4

Adrien lets out a sigh as he seats himself at the long table in the dining room. His father is missing, once again, and it looks as though he'll be eating breakfast by himself.

"Excuse me, Adrien."

Adrien looks up as Nathalie enters the room, iPad tucked neatly under her arm.

"Ah, good morning, Nathalie," he greets with a smile. She nods in response, face blank as she hands him the iPad.

"Your schedule for the day."

He nods and takes the tablet, gazing over it. After reading a few letters, he suddenly finds it hard to concentrate…

He frowns and glances to the side. Nathalie's still there, oddly. Usually she leaves as soon as the schedule has been handed over.

"Um," he says, looking up with a polite, yet somewhat awkward smile. "Is- there anything else?"

"How is school?"

The question catches him off guard. Nathalie has never shown any interest in his personal life. But it delights him nonetheless.

"Ah, um- it's good, it's going good!" he says, his cheeks growing red with excitement. "We're starting a new design project! We have to design an outfit and I've teamed up with this girl, Marinette. Ah, but Nino got paired up Max! Not that he minds, because Max is great, but- um…"

The heat reaches his ears as he realises that Nathalie still bore an entirely stoic expression. She probably finds all of this very disinteresting and had only asked out of politeness, he realises…

"Ah, well, um- there's not much else going on," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "How a-"

"Ah, I'm sorry, I'm running late," Nathalie excuses herself, turning around, "have a pleasant morning, Adrien."

"A-ah, yeah. Thank you."

"Marinette? Earth to Marinette?"

Alya waves her hand in front of her friend's face, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Anyone in there?"

Alya frowns and leans back in her seat in the class. Marinette has been really out of it lately. She doesn't speak much (not even of Adrien!) and seems to wander off into her own thoughts more than usual.

"Mari," she says softly.

"Hm?" Marinette says, finally looking up at the other girl. "Sorry, did you say something?"

Alya looks at her friend, chewing mindlessly on her lip. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Marinette says, smiling. "I just- I got into an argument with a close friend."

"What?" Alya frowns. "What was it about?"

"Eerhh." Marinette's ears suddenly go an incredible shade of red. "Well, you see… Errh, he, uh- we've both drawn, uhm- two hats? Yes, and he, uh, wants to see mine and in return he'll show me his, but I think maybe we should wait? I don't know it just doesn't seem like the right time…"

"Marinette," Alya says suddenly in a serious, hushed tone. "If this guy is trying to force you into something inappropriate you don't want to do-"

"What?!" Marinette squeals, widening her eyes. "Alya, it's nothing on the sort!"

Marinettes head has gone red from embarrassment and she's fiercely shaking her head.

"Okay, okay, I believe you!" Alya says, raising her hands in surrender, though she still looks skeptical.

"Look, I just… I don't know if it's the time, you know? I'm afraid it won't be the same if we reveal- uh, our hats."

"Even if I doubt that this really is about hats," Alya says, raising her eyebrows, "I don't see the problem. I think you're worrying too much. Wouldn't showing you each other's hats just bring you closer and help you understand the other one better?"

Marinette opens her mouth, though it was quickly shut again. Despite how little Alya knows, she somehow managed to hit the nail right on its head.

"Thank you, Alya, that was… actually really helpful," Marinette says gratefully.

"Hey, no need to sound so surprised!" Alya scolds, "I come with plente of helpful advice always!"

Marienette laughs. "Right, my bad."

"Hey, Alya." It was Adrien, having turned around in his seat so he could talk to her. Alya looked surprised while Marinette was sporting a panickstricken look – even if she wasn't the person being talked to.

"Yeah?"

"How's the, uh, Ladyblog going?" he asks, his ears gaining a bit of colour.

"Oh," Alya says, a sullen look appearing on her face. "Well, actually, it hasn't been very busy lately. Not since the Chosen Angel attacked. I haven't seen much to them. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, well, uh," Adrien begins, "I'm good friends with Chat Noir and he says, he hasn't seen Ladybug in a few days now."

"Really?" Alya says with a frown, biting down on her lower lip. "I wonder if everything is okay."

"If there's no evil to fight, then it makes sense that Ladybug wouldn't be seen around much, though, right?" Marinette buts in.

Alya shakes her head. "Mm, no, even when there isn't any evil, she's usually p- hey!" Alya jumped slightly, whipping her head round to look at Marinette.

"You're friends with Ladybug, right? You can just talk to her!"

Marinette narrows her eyes suspiciously. "It's not like I have her phone number or anything. I'm not going to ask her for an interview, if that's what you're thinking!"

"Can you get a message through?" Adrien speaks again suddenly and then quickly adds, "From Chat Noir, that is."

"Oh, uh umm- what's the message?" she stuttered.

"He'd like to meet with her. At their usual spot."

Marinette hesitates, and then asked, "When?"

"It doesn't matter," Adrien says smoothly. "He's flexible. Just tell her he'll- he'll be waiting."

"Copy that."


End file.
